Strand twisting machine



Oct 17, 1[967 w. M. ELLISON, JR.. ETAL 3,347,035

STRAND TWISTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1966 INVENTORS' O N J R.

AM M.ELL|S ER T. FULLER IAM B. POSTON FIG. "I-

ATTORNEY Oct 17, 1957 w. M. ELLISON. JR. ETAL 3,347,035

STRAND TWISTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1966 INVENTOR-S WILLIAM M.ELL|$ON,JR LUTHER T. FULLER WILLIAM B. POSTON BY ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fitice 3347,35 Patented Get. 17, 1967 3,347,35 STRANI) TWISTING MACHINE William M. Ellison, In, Spartanhnrg, and Luther Thomas Fuller and Wiiiiarn B. Poston, Central, S.C., assignors to Deer-ing Miliiken Research Corporation, Spartanburg, S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 532,977 9 Claims. Tl. 5758.65)

This invention relates to a strand twisting machine and more particularly to a new and improved apex guide for a twistiru machine that imparts two turns of twist in the strand for each revolution of the twisting spindle.

Prior to this invention apex guides for strand twisting machines were normally mounted to a floating support frame within the confines of a cage such as that shown in US. Patent 2,830,431, Klein, issued Apr. 15, 1958. The apex guide, through suitable support members, was pivotally mounted to such fioating support frame so that the apex guide could be pivoted away from the inside of the twisting machine to gain access to the package being wound and ancillary equipment. This mounting, of course, requires hinges and a means to lock the apex guide into correct position, which mounting due to its location on the floating support frame and the high speed of the spindle, had to be constantly adjusted and readjusted because of the vibrations set up by the spindle on the floating support frame. This adjustment and readjustment consumed a great deal of time and repair parts. Further, many times before the fretting corrosion of the hinges and locks was discovered, a considerable amount of yarn was incorrectly twisted and wound due to the misalignment of the apex guide.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an apex guide for a twisting machine which is mounted in a fixed position relative to the floating support frame and does not require constant attention and repair.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new, inexpensive apex guide mounting which is simple in construction and durable in operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apex guide which is mounted to the cage of a twisting machine.

Further Objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form part of this application, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top schematic view of a portion of a twisting machine incorporating the disclosed invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing a modification of the apex guide shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is another view similar to FIGURE 1 showing a further modification of the apex guide shown in FIGURE 1.

Looking now to the drawings and especially FIGURE 1 the reference numeral represents generally a two for one strand twisting machine in which strand to be twisted is supplied from the flyer 12 to the balloon 14 through the apex guide 16 over the idler pulley 18 and takes a plurality of wraps around the double capstan drive 20. From the capstan drive 20 the strand is advanced to the precision traverse mechanism (not shown) to build a compact take-up package 22. In order to protect the operator from the rotating cord in the balloon 14 a cage 24 is mounted on the frame 26. The cage 24 is mounted in any conventional manner so that it can be swung away to doif the package 22 when necessary.

Looking now to FIGURES 1 and 2 the improved apex guide 16 will be discussed in detail. In all forms of the invention the apex guide is rotatably secured in a bearing Structure which is rigidly mounted to the cage 24. In FIGURES l and 2 the bearing structure 28 is secured to the cage 24 by means of two pairs of superimposed plates 30 clamping between them the cage 24 and being secured together by means of screws 32. Welded or otherwise secured to one plate 30 of each pair of plates 30 is a second plate 33 which is screwed to an annular ring member 34 which surrounds and is suitably secured to the bearing structure 28.

Bearing structure 28 consists of a housing 36 in which is secured a pair of roller bearings 33 and 40 which suitably support the shaft portion 42 of the apex guide housing 44. The bearing 38 is secured in position by the surface 46 of the apex guide housing 44 while the bearing 40 is secured in position by a snap ring 48 locked into a suitable recess in the inside of the bearing housing as. To hold the shaft portion 42 and the bearings in operational relationship a lock nut 59 is provided at the end of the shaft portion 42.

Secured within the apex guide housing 44 is a pulley 52 rotably mounted on a screw member 54 by means of an Oilite bearing 56. Press-fitted into the opening 58 in communication with the pulley 52 is a stainless steel sleeve 60 to guide the cord to the idler pulley 16. The end of the apex guide housing 44 is threaded to accommodate a lock nut 62 which in conjunction with the dowel pin 63 locks the long slender apex flyer 64 into a fixed position so that it will rotate with the apex guide. At least two holes 66 are provided in the flyer 64 to provide a path for the cord from balloon 14 to the pulley 52.

In operation the cord from the balloon passes through opening 66 in the apex flyer 64 to the pulley 52 causing the apex guide structure to rotate within the bearings 38 and 40 due to the rotation of the balloon 14. From the pulley 52 the cord is delivered axially from the apex guide through the sleeve it to the idler pulley 16 and the capstans 20.

In the modifications shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 like reference numbers refer to like parts. The bearing structure is somewhat modified in both FIGURES 3 and 4 in that a snap ring 68 is employed to lock the bearings 38 and 40 and the shaft 42 into operational relationship rather than a lock nut. In FIGURES 3 and 4 the apex guide mounting structure has also been altered but the basic difference between the modifications is in the specific apex guide structure.

Looking now to FIGURE 3 the bearing housing 36 is rigidly secured in position by a pair of U-shaped strap members 76 complementary to each other with the U- shaped portions of each surrounding the bearing housing 36 while the extremities 72 of the strap members straddle the cage 24 and are secured together by screws 74.

The apex guide member 76 in this modification is an inverted trumpet shaped member over which the cord from the balloon 14 is guided through an opening 78 to the hollow portion 80 from whence the cord is delivered to the idler pulley 16. The opening 78 is substantially tangential to the outer surface of trumpet member 76 to provide a smooth transition to reduce the drag or friction on the cord passing therethrougli to the pulley 16.

Looking now to FIGURE 4 a further modification is shown. In this modification a winged plate member 81 supports the bearing housing 36 through screws 82 which project through openings in flange members 84 connected to the bearing housing and screwed into the winged plate member 81. Winged plate member 81 in turn is supported by the cage member by means of screws 86 which project through the Wings 88 of the winged plate member and are Secured to plate members 913 by nuts 92 on the opposite side of the cage 24.

The apex guide member in this'version of the invention is a plate member 93 secured to the apex guide housing 94 through which is secured pig tail guide members 96, 98 and 100. As in the previously described modifications the cord from the balloon is threaded through either pig tail guild 96 or 98 and then through pig tail guide 100 from whence it is delivered to the idler pulley 16.

It is obvious that the herein disclosed apex guide construction is much more rigid and not subject, to shock due to vibration of the floating frame normally encountered in twisters of this nature which operate at speeds of 5000 rpm. and advancing twisted cord to the take-up package at a rate of 150 yards per minute. Furthermore, the herein disclosed apex guide members are economical to manufacture and are readily installed. Also, after installation, constant repair is not necessary since the new and improved apex guide members no longer are subject to the extreme vibrations received by apex guide members in the prior art.

Although we have described in detail the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is contemplated that many changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of our invention, and we desire to be limited only by the claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A strand twisting machine comprising: a take-up package, means supplying cord to said take-up package, cage means surrounding said take-up package and said cord supplying means, said cord supplying means includ ing a fiyer and apex guide means spaced from one another to allow said cord to form a balloon, and means mounting said apex guide means to said cage means.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said apex guide means is rotatably mounted in a bearing means, said means mounting said apex guide means being connected to said bearing means.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said apex guide 7 means includes a housing and means attached to said housing and rotating therewith to guide said cord from said balloon to said take-up package.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said apex guide means further includes a cord guiding means operably associated with theexterior surface of said housing to guide said cord from said balloon into said hollow portion.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said cord guiding means is an inverted trumpet member, said housing having an opening through one wall thereof to receive cord from inverted trumpet member.

7. The structure of claim 5 wherein said cord guiding means is a plate member extending outwardly from said housing and having at least one opening therein to accommodate said cord from said balloon, said housing having an opening in the wall thereof to receive said cord from said plate member.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein a rotatably mounted pulley is mounted in said hollow portion to guide said cord from said plate member to said axial opening.

9. The structure of claim 3 wherein said cord guide means is a plate member attached to said housing, said plate member having at least two pig tail guides attached thereto, one of said guides receiving cord from said balloon and guiding said cord to the other of said guides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,732,681 1/1956 Klein 57-58.65 2,834,178 5/1958 Klein 57-58.7 X 2,914,904 12/1959 Brown 57-58.65 3,066,472 12/1962 Klein 5758.65 3,099,126 7/ 1963 Laureti 57-58.7 3,142,952 8/1964 Kralft etal 5758.65

FRANK J. COHEN, Primal Examiner. D. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STRAND TWISTING MACHINE COMPRISING: A TAKE-UP PACKAGE, MEANS SUPPLYING CORD TO SAID TAKE-UP PACKAGE, CAGE MEANS SURROUNDING SAID TAKE-UP PACKAGE AND SAID CORD SUPPLYING MEANS, SAID CORD SUPPLYING MEANS INCLUDING A FLYER AND APEX GUIDE MEANS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER TO ALLOW SAID CORD TO FORM A BALLOON, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID APEX GUIDE MEANS TO SAID CAGE MEANS. 